Fuel activator for carburetors



Nov. 8

M. J. KWARTZ 2,723,339

FUEL ACTIVATOR FOR CARBURETORS Filed Oct. 50, 195] 22 INVENTOR.

MICHAEL. J. KwARTz BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent FUEL ACTIVATOR FOR CARBURETORS Michael J. Kwartz, Van Nuys, Calif, assignor of one-half The present invention relates to improvements in a fuel heater for carburetors. It is designed to serve as an attachment for various types of carburetors, which are used in connection with internal combustion engines, and is intended to increase the performance of such engines.

More particularly stated, I propose to provide an attachment,-which is adapted to be coupled to a carburetor for the purpose of heating the fuel being drawn from the carburetor bowl to the intake manifold of an engine.

Among the objects of this invention is the provision of a fuel heater, which is highly eflicient in operation and yet relatively simple in construction. The fuel flowing from the carburetor bowl is conveyed through the attachment While on the way to the intake manifold, and its temperature is raised to a point where the efiiciency of the engine will be increased materially when charges of the heated fuel are mixed with air and drawn into the cylinders of the engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel heater that may be coupled to a carburetor with facility and ease, without requiring any alteration in the carburetor itself. The heating element is designed in such a manner as to facilitate replacement thereof, in the event that it burns out, or otherwise becomes defective. Uniform heating is afforded throughout the entire length of the element.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the speci fication continues. The novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.v

Drawing For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my fuel vaporizer, disclosing it as being coupled to a fragmentary portion of a carburetor, the latter being shown in section;

Figure 2 isa view similar. to Figure 1, but illustrating parts of the fuel heater in section; and

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the removable heating element, partly in section, and showing a wiring diagram connected therewith.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawing, I have shown a portion of a conventional carburetor, designated generally at A. In its structural features, this carburetor includes a ice through an orifice 16 of a jet C for flow to an intake manifold. From the latter the heated fuel mixed with additional air is delivered to the cylinders of an internal combustionv engine. The mixing chamber of the carburetor has been indicated at 17, wherein the partially mixed air and fuel are mixed with additional air.

It will be noted that the jet C is disposed in the passageway 11 above the ports or ducts 15, and is retained up against a shoulder 18 fashioned in this passageway by an apertured plug 19. The latter is secured to the top of a fuel delivery tube D. As shown, this plug engages with threads 20, which extend into the passageway 11 from the exterior surface 12 of the carburetor wall. For facilitating the threading of the plug 19 in place, the lower end of the tube D is provided with a kerf 1911, which is adapted to have a screw driver inserted thereinto.

Turning now to Figure 2, I disclose the bore 21 of the tube D as registering with the orifice 16 of the jet C. It may be stated at this time that all fuel and air entering the passageway 11 from the ducts or ports 15 must flow upwardly through the tube bore 21 in order to reach the discharge jet C. While en route, a heating element E, which is housed within the projecting portion of the unit or attachment B, supplies sufficient heat to expand the fuelpassing to the jet C. Of course, the expanded and heated fuel will increase the efliciency of the engine to which the carburetor is attached.

The heating unit B, previously mentioned, includes an elongated cup-shaped receptacle indicated generally at F. This receptacle is tubular-like in construction, but is closed at its lower end by a bottom wall 22. The upper exterior section of the receptacle F is threaded, as at 23, and is screwed into the threads 20 below the ducts 15. The tube D and receptacle F are arranged in axial alignment with each other with the latter surrounding the former. A lock nut 24 engages with the threads 23, and may be tightened so as to compress a gasket 25 interposed between this nut and the wall 10 of the carburetor to provide a leak-proof seal.

For the purpose of allowing the unit B to be installed on existing conventional carburetors, and still clear any obstructions-offered by the carburetor bowl, I have provided an adjustable sleeve 26, which is threaded onto the upper exterior section of the receptacle F. A lock nut 27 is threaded onto the receptacle below the sleeve 26. It will be apparent that the length of this sleeve may be changed so that the carburetor will not olfer any obstruction during the attachment of the vaporizing unit thereto. The entire attachment has a streamline appearance.

As shown in Figure 2, the tube D projects downwardly into the bore 28 of the receptacle E substantially to the bottom of the latter. It will be observed that this bore is sufliciently large to permit fuel and air to flow from the ducts or ports 15- into the interior of the receptacle, as suggested by the downwardly-pointing arrows 29. The lower portion of the tube D is fashioned with openings 30 therein through which the fuel and air mixture can pass into the bore 21 of this tube. Thence, the fuel flows upwardly, as suggested by the arrows 31, to the jet C for discharge.

In its structural details, the heating element E has a tubular core-like member 32 fashioned from non-conducting or insulating material, which is adapted to be telescoped over the exterior lower portion of the receptacle F. The lower end of this member rests against an outwardly-extending flange 22a formed on the bottom wall 22 of the receptacle F.

As part of the heating element, an inner coil 33 of wire is wrapped spirally around the core-like member 32 so as to cover the entire length thereof. The upper end 34 of the inner coil is grounded to a metallic washer 35, which is threaded onto the receptacle F. In Figure 3, this ground is indicated at 35a. Quite obviously, this inner coil could be embedded in porcelain, and, if not, an insulating layer 36 of mica, or the like, is placed over the inner coil.

Thereafter, an outer coil 37 of electrical-conducting wire is wrapped spirally around the layer of mica 36. In actual practice, the inner and outer coils are interconnected at their bottoms, as suggested at 38 in Figure 3. In other words, the two coils are formed from a single piece of Wire. The upper end 39 of the outer coil 37 is connected to a terminal strip 46. Another layer 41 of mica, or other insulation, is placed around the outermost coil to prevent any shorting thereof.

As illustrated in Figure 2, a sleeve 42 of non-conducting material is telescoped over the receptacle F immediately below the metallic washer 35. Screws 43 connect the sleeve 42 and the washer 35 together. Moreover, this sleeve has one end of the terminal strip 40 embedded therein.

It will be seen that the flange 22a and the sleeve 42 have the same external diameters and are arranged in axial alignment with one another. After the heating element E has been placed around the lower section of the receptacle F, a cover or shield G is telescoped endwise over the flange 22a and the insulating sleeve 42 to protect this heating element. The cover G is notched at 42a so as to prevent any electrical shorting between the terminal strip 40 and this shield.

Inasmuch as the terminal ends 34 and 39 of the inner and outer coils 33 and 37, respectively, are disposed at the same end of the element E, even heating will be provided throughout the length of the element. It is quite apparent that the entire heating element may be withdrawn from the receptacle F and a new element inserted thereon.

The circuit for supplying electricity to the heating element has been shown diagrammatically in Figure 3. As disclosed therein, a wire 44- leads from one terminal of a source of current 45, for instance a battery, to a starting switch 46, the other terminal of the current source being grounded at 45a. This switch is connected by a wire 47 to a safety fuse 48, and the latter is connected through a wire 49 attached to the binding strip 40. Thus, when the switch is closed for starting the engine, a current of about forty milliamperes flows through the coils 3337 and these will be heated to activate the fuel flowing from the carburetor bowl to the intake manifold.

Summary of operation Assuming that my heating unit B is coupled to the conventional carburetor A in the manner disclosed in Figures 1 and 2, the operation thereof is summarized briefly as follow Fuel from the bowl of the carburetor is conveyed through one of the ducts or ports to the passageway 11. The other duct 15 conveys gasoiene and air to the passageway 11 where a mixing occurs of gasolene and air. Upon entering the passage 11, the incoming fuel and air mix and then enters the mouth 50 of the receptacle F. This mixture of air and fuel flows downwardly through the annular passage 51 defined between the tube D and the bore 23 of the receptacle, as indicated by the arrows 29.

During the downflow of the mixture of air and fuel, the mixture is subjected to the heating action of the element E, causing the temperature of the fuel to be raised. From the bottom portion of the receptacle F, the fuel is conveyed through openings into the bore 21 of the tube 1). When the fuel flows upwardly in this tube, as suggested by the arrows 31, additional heat will be supplied to the fuel to the end that the fuel is discharged d from the jet C in a heated state, thus increasing the performance of the engine.

As previously pointed out, my unit is designed for attachment to a large variety of conventional carburetors. The long and rather slender shape of the unit will permit the latter to clear various obstructions of these carburetors, for instance, the float bowls.

In the event that the heating element E should become defective for any reason, it may be withdrawn easily, and a replacement element substituted therefor.

The heating of the gasolene by a coil having a current of about one twenty-fifth of an ampere or about forty milliamps, will cause the heated gasolene to expand. There are about fourteen components in gasolene and certain of these are more volatile than others. All of the components will not react to heat in the same way. Some will be raised in temperature more than others.

The device is designed to be removably mounted in a standard carburetor that is provided with a duct 15 for conveying gasoline to a mixing passage 11, and a second duct 1;? for conveying both air and gasolene to the same assage 11. In place of the usual nut for holding the jet C in place, the apertured plug 19 is substituted and this plug is integral with the tube D that extends into the bore 28 provided in the unit B. The unit B is in the shape of an elongated cylinder so as to be readily attachable to and removable from the lower end of the passage 11.

I claim:

1. A preheater attachment for a carburetor comprising a tube having an enlarged threaded outlet end adapted to be received in a threaded passageway of a carburetor; the outer diameter of the tube being less than the diameter of the passageway, and the tube projecting beyond the open end of the passageway; a gasoline heating unit including a cylindrical casing enclosing the projecting portion of the tube and being axially aligned therewith, the inner wall of the casing being spaced from the outer surface of the tube to provide a fluid passage; said casing having a closed end enclosing the outer end of the tube and having a threaded inlet and adapted to enter a predetermined distance into the threaded passageway of the carburetor so that the inlet end will be spaced from the enlarged outlet end of the tube and will permit gasoline from a fluid supply area to enter the fluid passage in the casing; and a heating element enclosing a portion of the casing; said tube communicating with the fluid passage in the casing near the closed end of the casing so that the gasoline will be heated as it flows through the fluid passage in the casing and again as it continues to flow through the tube toward the outlet end thereof.

2. A preheater attachment of the type set forth in claim 1; and in which the tube is entirely supported by the threaded connection of the enlarged outlet end with the threaded passageway of the carburetor; and in which the gasoline heating unit is entirely supported by the threaded connection of the casing inlet end with the same threaded passageway of the carburetor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,065,580 Beucus June 24, 1913 1,095,557 Davis May 5, 1914 1,111,527 Corson Sept. 22, 1914 1,280,290 Peterson Oct. 1, 1918 1,624,843 McQuinn Apr. 12, 1927 1,758,020 Aske May 13, 1930 1,941,678 Gamard Ian. 2, i934 2,112,973 Nicosia Apr. 5, 1938 

